2012 — March 24, Fire, Residential Home, Charleston, WV — 9

—  9  Associated Press. “Parishioners Comfort relatives of WV fire victims.” 3-25-2012.

—  8  USA Today.  “Fire officials: 6 kids, 2 adults killed in W.Va. house blaze.” 3-24-2012.

 

AP, March 24: “Charleston, West Virginia (AP) — A fire tore through a two-story home that had no functioning smoke detectors Saturday in West Virginia’s capital city, killing eight family members, including six children, the city’s mayor said.  Charleston Mayor Danny Jones said he believed it was the city’s deadliest fire in at least six decades. Jones said only one smoke detector was found in a cabinet, and it was not working.

 

“In the yard of the home that sits on a corner in a neighborhood tightly packed with small houses, a children’s picnic table, chairs and an umbrella were overturned.  The outside of the front of the home was blackened by the flames and smoke.

 

“Jones said he was devastated by the news when he got the call sometime after the fire was reported around 3:30 a.m. “I was with my children and I just grabbed them and hugged them, because I have a 5-year-old and a 4-year-old,” he said. “I walked up there and caught a glimpse of some fatalities and it’s something that’s hard to grasp. The fact that there are (six) dead children, it’s unimaginable.”

 

“Charleston Assistant Fire Chief Bob Sharp said two of those killed were adults, and all of the children who died were younger than 8.  In addition, one child was on life support at a hospital and not expected to survive, the mayor said.

 

“Ten people were inside the home at the time of the fire and all were related, but Sharp wasn’t sure how.

 

“Neighbors indicated there had been a birthday party at the home Friday for one of the adults. Sharp said a couple of families may have been living in the home.

 

“A woman from the home went to a neighbor’s house to report the fire. The home was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.

 

“Sharp said firefighters reduced the flames quickly. When they went inside, they immediately came across five victims and “started realizing there were a lot of people in this house, a lot of children.”  Sharp said the fire seems to have started in the middle of the home’s main level. The cause is under investigation.

 

“Sharp said it was the deadliest fire in the city since seven firefighters perished in while battling a fire at a Woolworth department store in 1949.” (USA Today. “Fire officials: 6 kids, 2 adults killed in W.Va. house blaze.” 3-24-2012.)

 

AP, March 25: “Charleston, W.Va. (AP)…. Seven children and two adults died in the early Saturday blaze in Charleston, about 11 miles east of the church…26-year-old Alisha Carter-Camp, had celebrated her birthday at the home the night before her death…..

 

“The blaze tore through the two-story home hours after the last guest had left Carter-Camp’s 26th birthday party.

 

“Jason Bausley said Carter-Camp was his niece and that she rented the home. Her sister, Latasha Jones Isabell, lived there along with the sisters’ children.

 

“Neighbors say Latasha Jones Isabell was smoking a cigarette outside, noticed the fire and raced to a nearby home to summon help.  The cause remains under investigation.

 

“Police released the names of the victims Saturday but didn’t know how they were related. On Sunday, Bausley identified the victims as Carter-Camp and two of her children, Keahna Camp, 8; and Jeremiah Camp, 3; Carter-Camp’s boyfriend, Alex Seal, age unknown; and Seal’s 3-year-old daughters, Kiki and Gigi.  Also killed were Latasha Isabell’s children, Elijah Scott, 3, and Emanuel Jones, 18 months, Bausley said.

 

“On Sunday, there was more reason to grieve: Carter-Camp’s 7-year-old son, Bryan Timothy  Camp, was removed from life support between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Sunday, said Charleston Police Sgt. Bobby Eggleton….”  (Associated Press. “Parishioners Comfort relatives of WV fire victims.” 3-25-2012.)

Sources

 

Associated Press. “Parishioners Comfort relatives of WV fire victims.” 3-25-2012. Accessed at:  http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ii0QLsMNjn_oIR0-ZsbzSlTkHVlg?docId=b61476f56ad64af280e920fb2674ab4e

 

USA Today. “Fire officials: 6 kids, 2 adults killed in W.Va. house blaze.” 3-24-2012. Accessed at:  http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-03-24/fatal-west-virginia-fire/53748836/1